Ophthalmic mounting



.Sept 27, lgz. R. H SQMQNDS 1,879,827

OPHTHALMIC MoUNTNG Filed March so, 1928 gyn/mento@ Hayal Hmand@ bridge to the lens ears.

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES AP AitaNi-, OFFICE",

ROYAL H; SIMoNns, or SCUTHBRI'DGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASsIGNoR To AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, or SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY AssoCIA.-

TIoN oF MASSACHUSETTS OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING This invention relates to improvements in ophthalmic mountings and has particular reference to an Vimproved lens strap for the same. Y a y Y The principal object of the invention'is to provide a stiff strap that will not lose. its hardness or temper due to lsoldering vthe .Another object ofthe invention is to provide a stiff strap for theedge of the lens, the points of which will not back off andallow the lens to work on the lens screw.

Another object of the invention is to provide a separate lens strap that will tighten itself onthe lens ears when the strap is fitted to the edge of the lens. p

Another object ofthe inventionis to provide an improved lens strap that will adjust i itself to the edge of the lens.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide improved means by which a separate lens strap will tighten itself on the lens clip when the strap is adjusted to the edge of the lens.

Another object of the invention is toV pro# vide a lens strap that will have increased stiii ness along the edge of the lens and will not back away therefrom and allow the lens to become loose in its mounting.

'i gether.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for holding a lens which will not be Subject to the softening` effects of soldering the lens and bridge connections to- Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and it will be apparent that i many changes may be made in the arrangenent of parts and details ofconstruction with.v

out departing from-the spiritof the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the exact details Shown and described as the pre-r ferred forms only have been shown by way of illustration.

Referringvto the drawing:

Fig. l is a front view of an ophthalmic mounting embodying the invention; v

Fig. 2 is an Venlarged fragmentary perspec- Fig. 5

invention Fig. 3 is a partial elevation partially in.

cross section showing the connection of the lens strap to the bridge before the strap is fitted to the edge of the lens;

Fig. l is a view Similar to Fig. 3 Showing the connection of the strap tothe bridge after the strap hasbeenlitted to the lens;

is a crosssection on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; A Y

Fig. 6' is a perspective view of the lens strap removed from the lens connection showing a modified form;

Fig. 7 is a cross section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6; l .A Fig. 8 is aview in cross section similar to Fig. 5 showing the 4modied form of strap Shown in Fig. 6.

In the priorart the lens strap and lens ears of the lens connection were usually made in one integral part and solderedto the end ofthe bridge. The'soldering operation drew the temper of the strap ear and made it Soft so that the extremities or endsv of the strap ear wouldback away from the lens and Y allow it to worl; on the lens screw and become loose.y Various means have been tried to stiffen the lens strap to overcome this defect due a to soldering connections together. This has been done by swaging or hammering operations andthe dimensions of the Strap have been increased without avail.

It is, therefore, the prime object of my ini vention to provide a lens strap that will be stiff and retain its position on the edge of the lens and willnot back away from the same and allow the lens to become loose, and a rigid and stiff strap may be had which will always maintain the lens in desired position where it cannot work loose on the lens connecting screw. This is a matter of the first importance as practically all the lens connections .in the prior art became loose due to `thebacking out of the ends of thestrap. It is a well recognized defect in ophthalmic mountings and one that has received the attention of practically the inventive resources ofthe whole art..

Referring to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout, I make my lens strap 1 in a separate piece from the lens ears 2. On the bridge side of the strap 1 I form the connecting recess or socket 3 which has the projecting edges or points 4. I also make the edge 5 which contacts with the edge' of the lens more concave than the edge of the lens,

as indicated in Fig. 3. 'Ihe bridge 7 is secured Ato the lens ears -2 and has a bearing surface which litstlie recess 3 in the strap 1 as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 that before the edge 5 of the strap 1 has been shaped to fit the edge 6 of the lens, there is an open space at the points 4,7 but that when the strap has been shaped up to fit the edge 6 of the lens these openings at 4 are closed up as shown in Fig.

v4an'd the 'strap 1 isthns 'clamped over the portion of the bridge 7 which projects into fthe recess 3 of the strap, Vthereby 'interlocking thetwo members. 'Ihe `strap 1 is made of hard, stiff, well tempered material that is not easily bent or deflected from position and is of sufficient strength toV prevent the ends 8 f from backing kaway from the lens to'allow the lens to work on the lens screw 9..

y In Figs. 4 and 5 the bottom -of the recess 3 inthe strap 1 is indicated as a .straight line. This may, however, be made curved in cross section as shown at 10 vin Figs. 6, 7

and ,8.U l/ilhere the bottom of the recess 3 is made curved ias .indic ated `by l0 the recess between the ears `2 is correspondingly curved to fit as shown in Fig. 8. The iadvantage of the curved recess is that it will allow the strap 1 to adjust Vitself to the edge 11 of the lens as indicated in Fig. 8 so that the strap is self-adjusting to the .edge of the lens and to "its connection with the lens ears.

t will be understood .also `that ifdesired the strap 1 may be made Iof springy or resilient material of high temper which will have a tendency to always have the points y8 bearing tightly against 'the edge 'of the lens and being made separate from the bridge connection the temper of 'the vresilient strap 1 will not be drawn as has been the case in the prior art.

Theoperati-on and assembly are as follows:

The strap 1 is'placed between the lens ears 2 with the recess '3 lon the end of the bridge as indicated in Fig. '3, lthe points 4 spanning said `bridge portion. The lens is pressed in between 'the .ears 2 forcing :back lthe edge .5

' of the strap 1 until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 4, the vedge '5 :fitting the edge 6 of the lens. The screw '9 is then placed in the screw hole in the lears 2 .and screwed up tight. During this operation of pressing back `Athe edge. 5 'the openings 4 are closed `up so that they. bear on. the portion of the .bridge fitting in'the recess 3 as indicated in Fig. 4. Wherev the bottom of 'the recess I3 is curved as at 10 in Fig. 6 the strap 1 adjusts .itself to the edge 11 of the lens before its final position has been reached and the device is then tightened as before to maintain its adjusted position.

In Fig. 5 it will be noted that the strap 1 does not have the rounded bottom for the recess buthas a straight edge.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided means by which alens strap may be fitted to the edge of the lens without havin-g its temper drawn by the soldering operations in fastening the bridge to the lens connections so that the same may be of suflicient temper to maintain itself in close engagement `at all times with the edge of the lens and will not back away and allow the lens to work loose on the screw connections, and also that I lhaveprovided means by which the strap may adjust itself `to the edge of the lens which is fitted between the lens ears, thus forming a device well able to carry out all of the advantages of the invention and which is simple, efficient .and economical in its construction. l

Having described my "invention, I claim:

1. In a device ofthe character described, a lens holdingnmember and a flexible member in engagement with said'lens holding member .and `adapted to engage the edge ofthe lens, said member havinga concaved surface on the lens engaging side and a `reentrant portion on the opposite .side thereof, a portion of the .lens holdingmember being inserted in said reentrant portion .and the upper andV lower walls of the reentrant portion being of a shape to provide la clearancespace between the outer edges of said walls and the lens holding member, said flexible member being most flexible 'between the limits of said reentrant portion whereby when the member in engagement with said lens holding member is straightenedto make the concaved surface less concaveit will ilex'between the limits of saiclreentrantportion and cause the upper and lowerreentr'ant walls to move towards the lens holding member. Y

- 2. In a device of the character described, a lens holding Vmembercomprising a pair .of spaced lens holding ears adapted to hold a lens between them, and flexible member adapted to`.engage 'the edge of the lens held between the ears, said memberhav'in'g a concaved surface on :the lens engaging side and a reentrant portion on the opposite side thereof, the lportion of .the'lens'holding memy ber between the ears'being :inserted in. said reentrant portion and the upper Vand 'lower walls of the reentrant portion being of a shape to provide a `clearance space .between the' outerV edges of said walls and the lensv between the limits of said reentrant portion and cause the upper and lower reentrant walls to move towards the lens holding mem- U 3. In a device of the charaeterdescribed,

a lens holding member and a flexible member in engagement with said lens holding member, adapted to engage the edge of the` lens, said flexible member having a concave surface on the lens engaging side and a reentrant portion on the opposite side thereof, said reentrant portion having a curved con- .vex bottom surface, a portion of the lens holding member being inserted in said reen` trant portion and having a conca-ved portion adapted to receive the curved convex bottom of the reentrant portion, wherein said member in engagement with 'the lens holding member will be self adjusting to fit the edge of the lens, and the upper and lower walls of the reentrant portion being of a shape to provide a clearance space between the outer edges of said walls and the lens holding member, said iexible memberbeing most flexible between the limits of said reentrant portion whereby when the member in engagement with said lens holding member is straightened to make the concaved surface less concave it will Hex between the limits of said reentrant portion and cause the upper and lower reentrant walls to move towards the lens holding member.

4. In a device of the character described, a lens holding member comprising a. pair,

of spaced lens holding ears, adapted to hold a lens between them and al flexible member adapted to engage the edge of the lens held between the ears, said flexible member having a conca-ved surface on the lens engaging side, and a reentrant portion on the opposite side thereof, said reentrant portion having a curved convex bottom, the portion of the lens holding member between the ears being inserted in said reentrant portion and having a curved portion adapted to receive the curved convex bottom, wherein said member held between the ears will be self adjusting to fit the edge of the lens and the upper and lower walls of the reentrant portion being of a sha-pe to provide a clearance space between the outer edges of said walls and the lens holding members, said flexible member being most flexible between the limits of said reentrant portion whereby when the member held between the ears is straightened to make the concaved surface less concave it will flex between the limits of said reentrant portion and cause the upper and lower reentrant ,walls to move towards the lens holding member.

' ROYAL H. SIMONDS. 

